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Hit and Run Drivers

Additional Reading

Yet again the streets of the West Midlands have witnessed a hit and run accident. The latest, in Bromford Road, Hodge Hill involved an elderly couple in a green Toyota Corolla which collided with a black Honda Prelude being driven by an Asian youth in his mid 20’s.

As members of the public rushed to the scene to try and help out, the young man, around 5’9” in height, wearing jeans and a T- shirt, escaped from his own vehicle and made off before the emergency services arrived. It is thought that he was also injured but local hospital checks would indicate that he has not been treated at a local hospital.

This latest hit and run accident has left an elderly person dead and another man in his 70s in hospital with injuries. Both people have not yet been named.

Over the New Year a similar hit and run accident killed a married couple in Hockley when their Ford Fiesta was hit by a Mercedes from which two men were observed running from the scene.

The fact of the matter is, Birmingham, like many other towns and cities across the UK has a high percentage of uninsured vehicles. Many of these are also untaxed and unregistered and without an MOT. This does not take into account any drink driving related offences which are also a contributing factor to hit and run accidents.

When the driver of such a vehicle becomes involved in an accident the tendency is to take the cowardly approach as an alternative to facing up to their responsibility - and they run. With little or no regard for the safety of their victims, these despicable people often escape prosecution or detection and just fade away into obscurity. Even if they are caught, the punishment seldom fits the crime and the penalty for leaving the scene of an accident is almost encouragement in itself to try and avoid being caught.

Within a couple of months they are on the road again with another killing machine. How many times have we seen young children and the elderly being mown down or victims of accidents where hit and run drivers have been involved. Unless something changes you will see this a lot more.

Currently, if you drive a car without tax, insurance and MOT and you get caught in the second year, this being your first offence, you will have saved a considerable sum of money. The fine that you will receive from the courts is more likely to act as encouragement for you to re offend rather than act as any deterrent.

Meanwhile this sends out a message to the community. The next time your insurance premium comes round with a 20% hike to cover theft and claims by others, you take stock of the situation, you have paid through the nose for years, now the tax is also due, and soon it will be the MOT. Thomas next door has been driving around in his old banger for over three years now and got away with paying none of this. To hell with it. If you can’t beat em join em.

Moving ahead its been four years since you paid any car tax, had an MOT or insurance and you are doing just fine. That is until late one evening when you are speeding down the Queensway with a car full of mates and your brakes go. Being more conscientious than some you do stop after that collision that forced a family of four off the road and into the crash barriers. The child who had been waving at you from the rear of the car you just collided with remains an impression of guilt that you will carry with you to your grave.

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